La Tua Cantante
by Charlieem
Summary: The story follows Aro as he finds his true love Sulpicia. Set after Breaking Dawn even though I know she was in the books.
1. Chapter 1

Hi

So this is my first twilight fic! It is about the story of Aro finding his one true love, Sulpcia, mentioned in the vampire index at the back of Breaking Dawn and possibly in the books as well, I'm not sure. This is set after Breaking dawn however not before because I wanted to use the characters in it. I hope you like it and please review.

Also if you like this and even if you don't please check out my Harry Potter story which is way better I think!

I originally posted this a year or so ago but being super busy meant I never finished it. Last night I watched breaking dawn part 2 and remembered this so I read through each chapter, did some editing and here I am again!

Disclaimer: I do not anything of the characters in this story, Stephanie Meyer does

La Tua Cantante

**Chapter One **

"Tell me again" commanded Aro "and then you can show me"

Edward pulled Bella closer to him, unsure Alice had made the right decision. When she had insisted on coming to the Volturi the only thing Edward could do was to come with her and where Edward went Bella followed. Of course Jasper had joined the escort.

"I've seen the visions time and time again" Alice explained, "there can be no doubt. Her time approaches, it's up to whether you spend and eternity with her or whether you" she paused "don't"

"Tell me what the vision showed" Aro said.

"They different but they all start the same. She will walk into this very room. There is no indication about the time or date"

"Are you sure, we have a clock?" Aro interrupted, indicating the large clock on the wall with the date in the middle.

"With respect Aro, Alice is very experienced with interpreting her visions" Edward said without much respect in his voice.

"Yes I am. Anyway she will walk in, she's serving you . . . blood. Is that right? I thought you only drank fresh?"

"No" Cairo explained "most of the time we drain blood from the humans and drink it as they would wine. There's a storeroom full of it downstairs. We find it is more sophisticated"

"As soon as she enters the room you can't control yourself. You know she is your La Tua Cantante. Now this is where it gets complicated. There are many possibilities depending on what you decide. In some visions I see you ripping her head of at that very moment. In another she survives longer, a couple of days. The rest are somewhere in-between."

She didn't mention the final vision she had had only this morning where the girl survived and joined the ranks of the immortal.

"And those are the only options?" Aro asked. Inside he felt desperate. Would he murder his chance at eternal love?

"Alice" Edward whispered.

"Well there was another vision."

"Alice" Edward said more urgently, he could feel the girls mind as she approached; it was one of the strangest minds he had ever heard. There was a hint of a power there, waiting to blossom. He hoped Alice's vision could come true. She would make an amazing vampire.

Sulpicia had to be shaken awake by her fellow servant. She thought her name was Rose but couldn't be sure. Sulpcia had only started working for the Volturi recently. Unlike most she harboured no desire to be a vampire however she had a younger sister she was responsible for and working for the Volturi paid more then any other job she could get.

Her "bed" wasn't great though. A lumpy, old pillow and a thin mattress. Still it allowed her to sent home more than enough money to finance her sister's boarding school. The vampire thing was just something she had to get used to. She had been here a week already and had barely met any. The ones she had encountered seemed in too much of a hurry to pay much attention to her. Her duties were mainly cleaning which the vamps' took little interest in as long as it was done.

Today however all that changed. Today she was serving on the vampires. Not just any vampires, the big three Aro, Caius and Marcus and she wasn't just serving them she was serving them blood. She was terrified. Her heart was beating quickly, probably not a good thing when you're going into a room of vampires.

"Ahh" Marcus exclaimed, "The blood goblets are here. Will you partake?"

All four of them shook their heads rapidly.

"No matter, more for us"

"Edward!" Alice hissed.

"I know" he replied.

Sulpcia walked into the hall as part of the serving train.

Ahead of her she could see some commotion. Some yellowed eyed vampires were talking earnestly to each other. She had only so far seen red-eyed vampires.

"I'm sorry Aro we are too late" Alice exclaimed.

"We will step aside and leave you to do as you wish" Edward walked up to Aro and whispered something in his ear before they did indeed step to the side of the hall.

Even further ahead were the three vampires on thrones. Two were watching the servants with mild interest however the middle vampires face was contorted with an expression Sulpcia didn't recognise. Was it pain? She couldn't tell. All she knew was that unlike the other vampires this ones face was focused solely on her.

Bella stood nervously next to Edward.

"What do you think he'll do?" she whispered.

"I don't know" he replied.

* * *

Bit of a cliffhanger for you! I'm not thrilled with this chapter. First chapters are never my strong point. After this it will just be mainly from Sulpcia.

Pretty please review anyway! I can take all advice or criticism. I'd rather a bad review than no review! So please?


	2. Chapter 2

La Tua Cantante

Chapter 2

Edwards's whispered words reverberated around Aro's mind. Had he been telling the truth?

I second later the thought became irrelevant. He was utterly consumed by his desire for her blood. It was as if there was no one else in the room. All his senses were focused entirely on petite redhead in the serving train. The edge of his vision was turning red. He had never felt thirst so great but he had spoken to Marcus and Caius about it before. He knew when the growing red completely engulfed his vision then what little control he had would leave him.

"Get her out, the red-head!" he managed to spit out to Caius. He didn't see him act but realised he must have because the desire left him. He could almost think clearly again. The memory remained to haunt him.

Sulpicia couldn't take her eyes of the contorted face that was staring at her. The way he looked at her reminded her of a lion documentary she watched as a kid. His face held the same hunger. No not hunger, she realised, thirst. She could no longer forget or pretend that she wasn't working for vampires or that her life wasn't in danger. She slowly began to back off when a great force hit her, pushing her out of the room.

She was thrown onto the floor of the reception room. She could just see past the vampire on top of her to see the door closing. She didn't move even after the vampire had moved of her. To her surprise he was one of the big three. Not the one who had seemed to be in agony but one of the others.

"I am Caius. You should leave"

She stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"Don't you understand? You are in danger here. You will undermine everything we stand for! You must go!"

"NO!" another voice rang musically through the room. She was momentarily relieved before she looked up to see who had defended her. It was the vampire from the hall. She noticed he wasn't breathing. Obviously vampires didn't need to. She began to crawl away in fear.

"Aro you're not thinking straight" Cairo sounded like he was pleading.

"Exactly I don't want to do anything" his eyes flicked down to her "rash"

The moment their eyes meet she felt something stir within her. It was a mixture of fear and excitement. For the first time she thought she could understand the other servants desire to be turned. He didn't seem affected in the same way judging by the look of disgust twisted his features.

"She will ruin everything we have built here!"

"No she will not. We will follow our law or perhaps pass a new law." She was relieved that he seemed to be protecting her but that only lasted until he said "Now get her out of my sight"

She was led to a small room where she was left to wait until her boss, a stern women name Karen came to see her.

"What the hell did you do?" she asked. "It was a simple task, go in give them the blood and don't look like a complete idiot."

"I didn't do anything. I just walked in and one of them, Aro I think, went crazy"

"You must have done something to get the vamps all riled up. You've been ordered to be assigned strictly non-vamp duties. You'll be helping out in out kitchens"

"So I'm not fired?" she asked tentatively.

"The juries still out I'm afraid. I heard from one of the girls that survived the serving that Caius wants you gone but Aro wants to stay, says he has a greater claim"

"What do you mean one of the girls who survived?" she asked dreading the answer.

"After you left Aro went on a killing spree. Of the 8 girls who went in you and two others survived."

She felt slightly sick, oblivious, or perhaps used to the violence, Karen continued

"Enough chit chat I've got to get you settled in."

Sulpicia was exhausted when she was finally allowed to leave the kitchens. Whether it was because she was the new girl or whether it would always be like this she had no idea. She had peeled potatoes for hours and then been put to work in the gardens. It was more tiring than every other day she'd been here put together. She missed her old job cleaning the vamps rooms. It may have been more dangerous but it was much easier work. It didn't help that after Aro's unexplained reaction she had been ostracized by the majority of the servants.

When she got into the room she shared with five other girls there was a surprise waiting for her. On her bed was a replacement pillow and something she had come to miss from home, a blanket. Every night here so far she had sleep badly due to the cold. She inspected the pillow and could see that it was a lot more comfortable than her previous offering. When she picked the blanket up a note fell out of it.

_Sleep well and be safe _the beautiful handwriting read.

The note wasn't signed but she was grateful to whoever had sent the blanket however was slightly worried that this would further push her outside of the community of servants. Sighing she tucked the note into her pocket and noticed something she berated herself for not seeing earlier. She was sleeping in a room filled with cleaning girls who had finished work some two hours earlier. Four of the beds where filled with sleeping girls however one was empty. With a sinking heart Sulpicia realized the happy girl who had woken her up that morning had been in the hall with her and hadn't survived.

She felt slightly guilty that she was filled with relief that she had survived the day. She had to remind herself that she had people to look after. What would happen to her sister if she had been killed today? Or if she was tomorrow? She tried to turn her mind to other thoughts.

"Tomorrow" she said to herself "is a new day"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sulpicia was disappointed that she was not to be allowed to go to Rose's funeral. She had asked Karen only to be refused point blank. The older women had just said no and walked away. Sulpicia ran after her to try and change her mind. It had taken a bit of pushing but eventually Karen had revealed the reason she was to be banned from the event. Aro was going to be there. It was happening after dark specifically to allow him to go.

"But why is he going?" she had ask Karen confused "do they always go?"

Karen suddenly gave her a large smile, which was unusual for her. Well it was unusual for anyone working with the Volturi to smile really. Constant threat of death does that to you.

"Well I'll just pop and ask him shall I? We're such best buds I'm surprised he didn't tell me in the first place in one of our heart to hearts!"

"Ok I get it," she grumbled back. At this Karen had taken pity on her.

"Look I know your new here kid so I'm going to explain. Contrary to what you might expect the vamps don't regularly kill residents of Volterra. Rose's family have lived here for generations. They even know about the vamps, which is rare and begged her not to work here but she didn't listen. Going to the funeral is the vamps way of apologising."

"Karen can I take the day off? Please?"

"You need to get used to death if your going to survive here kid but ok but don't forget"

"I know" she interrupted "Stay away from the vampires"

Karen had nodded her satisfaction.

It was that conversation which had led to her being where she now was. She had gone to the only place she knew that vamps wouldn't follow. She was standing on top of the battlements of the Volturi's castle overlooking Volterra. The sun was almost directly overhead and she judged the time to be about midday but she was feeling too lazy to actually look at her watch. She had been sunbathing for the past couple of hours, though sunbathing was to shallow a description of what she had been doing. She had been contemplating all she knew about Rose and trying to find a way to honour her even if she couldn't go to the funeral. She knew that the girl had no desire to be a vampire unlike most girls here. She remembered Rose mentioned having a large family who needed feeding. The more she thought about it the more she realised that they had had much in common. Except Rose was dead and she had survived and Rose was innocent. She had come to the conclusion that it was somehow her fault that the lead vampire, Aro, had gone crazy. The more she thought about it the more she realised what she must do. After sending all the necessary money to her sisters each week she had a little left over. She normally spent it on some frivolous item in the markets but now to try and make amends she would send the money to Rose's family.

After deciding this she could relax and she dozed until the sun went down and the air became noticeable chillier. As she made her way down the spiralling staircase, planning to go to the food hall, she was accosted by a large man. She could tell by the temperature of his skin and the strength of his grip that he was a vampire. She considered struggling just for show but decided against it. Instead she asked

"Where are you taking me?"

"Aro's decided to take a sip" her heart sped up in fear and the vampire laughed.

"Relax sweetheart I didn't mean like that. We're going to take a pint or two out of you." she felt slightly better until he added "for now"

When it became obvious she wasn't going anywhere he put her down and let her walk to the blood rooms. She had no idea where they were going so she was surprised when he stopped in front of a remarkably normal looking door.

"This is where I leave you," the unnamed vampire told her before giving what she guessed was supposed to be a light push through the door but was in reality a shove.

The room looked like a hospital ward. She tried not to look at the occupants of the bed. Most would be either dead or dying. As much as the vampires tried to kid themselves that they were sophisticated this was as brutal as ripping someone's neck and sucking the blood out yourself. The people working in the room were all humans; no vampire could be trusted to be around this much blood. One of the medicine people (she wasn't sure what to call them Nurses? Doctors?) came up to her.

"Sulpicia?" she nodded. The women gave her a pitying look. "We've been expecting you" she was led over to a bed and told to lie down.

"Now relax" he women said "this is just like a blood test or giving blood to a hospital. We won't take so much that your ill but you will have to stay in the room next door for a couple of hours so we can keep an eye on you. Ok?"

Sulpicia nodded thinking it wasn't like she had a choice. She tried to think of it like a blood test as the women said and closed her eyes to make it easier to imagine she was in a hospital bed.

It took little time before she was led into the waiting room. This was much nicer with sofas and a pile of books. It seemed to be styled like a doctors waiting room without the magazines and newspapers. They weren't allowed contact with the outside world. Eventually she was allowed to go. By this point it was about half ten so she began to make her way back to her bed.

Aro sat about to take a sip of the most temping blood he had ever smelt. Before the first funeral of the girls he had killed he wanted to taste what had led to the madness. He wanted to see if it was worth it. The room had been cleared of all humans to prevent a repeat performance. Caius and Marcus sat watching him intently. Well Marcus never did anything intently but he was watching. He tipped the goblet to his mouth and began to drink. He had intended to take just a sip but he found himself draining the goblet.

"Well?" Cairo asked.

"It was good," he told them. It was an understatement. The blood was the best taste he could possibly imagine. With the smell gone however he could still think clearly. He could still control the desire to hunt down the alluring girl whose blood he had just drank.

"So what will you do?" Marcus asked, betraying his interest.

"I don't know but we are all in agreement? It is my decision?" the other two nodded. "Then I will need more time. In the mean time she is not to be touched," with that he strode from the hall. He decided to take a walk around the castle to try and figure out what the hell he was going to do. He had tried consulting various people for advice but in the end this had to be his decision. Not a great thing when he changed his mind every few minutes.

Sulpicia was lost. There was no way around it; she hadn't a clue where she was. The vampire that had taken her to the blood room hadn't bothered to stick around so she had to try and find her own way back. The problem was she had never been in this part of the castle. As she turned the next corner she almost walked into a large shape. As she backed of she could see the red eyes and the feral expression. She had failed to avoid the vampires and now was going to pay dearly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Pointless as she knew it was Sulpicia turned to run, to escape the monster before her. She knew that death lay in his arms. She could tell from the brief glimpse she had got of his expression that his thirst had taken over. Behind here the vampire snarled and she thought she could hear a laugh. She knew this was the end, the vampire knew it too. She thought of her sister, hoping someone would take here in or that she'd somehow find a way to survive. She thought of Rose's family who would now be bereft of the money they didn't even know she was planning to send them. She wondered if any vampire would come to her funeral. Then the vampire caught up with her and she felt him rip open the wound on her arm from the earlier blood giving, which had been lightly bleeding from the excursion.

Aro could hear some snarling. He moved towards the noise, thinking to berate the vampire making it. The Volturi and their guard where more sophisticated than that. He saw a vampire reaching for Sulpicia. His Sulpicia. He moved in a flash, acting only on instinct. He ripped the head of the vampire and threw it out of the conveniently placed window. Someone could reattach it later. He pushed the body aside and reached for Sulpicia. He subconsciously took a breath in and in doing so filled his mind with her scent. He almost lost control right there and then but one thing stopped him. He could smell in her blood the vampire venom. It was spreading through her. Something within him cried out that it was wrong, she should have the choice. He told himself over and over that he just wanted to taste her again.

"CULLENS" he screamed. He had invited Bella and Edward to stay as guest, hoping to convert them to the Volturi. They had accepted however not without informing him that they only stayed to observe Sulpicia's fate. He needed them now to suck the blood out. He had read in Edwards mind that he had once done something similar to Bella. They were there in only a couple of seconds.

"I will not save her only for you to suck her dry" Edward told him.

"Do it Cullen," He shrieked, "You must understand she shouldn't be condemned to this life." Aro thought of Edwards's reluctance to turn Bella.

"Do not compare what we have to your sick desires old man. I will save her but not for you. It is lucky for you that we stayed."

Sulpicia lay in agony, fire creeping up her arm. She listened in amazement to the conversation. She could barely hear most of it and didn't understand a lot of what she did hear but it seemed Aro was defending her. She was extremely grateful that the fire was fading from her arm. She could feel a vampire sucking her blood but only a small part of her was bothered. She was slipping in and out of consciousness. After a while she became aware that someone had picked her up and was moving her, presumably back to her room. A musical voice that she recognised as Aro's said to her

"Sleep. Your safe now."

When she woke up she was not immediately aware of her surroundings. She felt safe and coupled with the comfort of the bed she was in that tricked her mind into thinking she was at home. When she opened her eyes however that illusion was shattered. The red and gold colour scheme of the bedroom was so different to the humble colour scheme of her home. She was shocked to notice Aro standing in the corner watching her. He was standing completely still. His red clothing meant he blended in perfectly, like a piece of furniture. When their eyes met she abruptly shifted to the other side of the room, breaking the contact to look out the window. The sun was setting on Volterra

"This was my bedroom a long time ago." he told her, "Before my brothers and I changed we were to sons of a powerful duke. We returned to make our home here again when we had" he paused "settled" he gave her the impression that his brothers had not always been the amicable friends they were now.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, confused as to why she was still alive.

"You obviously could not follow my instructions to stay away from the vampires you must stay here until we decide what to do with you," came the reply.

"What are the options?" she asked unsure she really wanted to know.

"Well you can leave Volterra unharmed or die by my hand. You've avoided death by another. You won't be harmed by any vampire while you're her except perhaps me"

"Well if it's all the same to you I think I'll leave." He snorted.

"It wasn't exactly your choice" he went to leave but she called him back

"Wait why didn't you just drink my blood, that would have been easier?"

He gave her a long and penetrating stare and didn't speak for what seemed like forever. At last he looked back over the city and answered her question.

"I'm tired," he told her before flitting out of the room. She lay dazed and more than a little confused. She registered the click of the lock meaning she was trapped here however she had lost a lot of blood and quickly fell back in a deep sleep.

When she awoke again there was a bowl of soup on the dressing table. Accompanying it was the brief note.

_You need to eat Aro_

She recognised the writing as the same on the note with the pillow. She desperately wanted to leave the room, feeling claustrophobic. She was tempted to not eat to spite him but realised it was pointless and after all the soup was smelt very good. She found it slightly disturbing that someone had come into the room while she slept whether it was Aro or one of her fellow servants.

She woke the next day feeling refreshed and completely recovered from her blood loss. She was slightly disorientated by the attack but after a couple of minutes of thinking she realised it was the morning of the third day after she met Aro and everything changed. Now that she no longer felt sleepy she was annoyed about her incarceration.

She knew it was futile but she tried to open the door anyway. As she suspect it was locked. Worrying she notice she had been changed. The servants of the Volturi all wore red togas with a gold sash in keeping with the colour scheme of the castle. The red of toga was brighter then the rusty red of blood so the blood from her attack had showed up vividly. The toga she wore now was completely clean. The clock showed it was 6am. She had nothing to do so she crossed to the window and sat watching the city from a well-placed chair until the door opened. She was up in an instant and making for the exit. She got four steps towards the door before Aro moved with vampiric speed to put her breakfast on the table, lock the door and moved to grab her. He grasped her arms, holding her centimetres from him. Her heart sped up in fear of the proximity to the vampire who had so recently professed to being deadly to her. His gazed flicked to her chest, entranced she knew by her heartbeat and blood. She gasped as the grip on her arms tighten. The small noise seemed to break his trance

"I told you not to leave the room," he whispered in her ear, his voice sound more dangerous than normal.

"I need to get back to work," She told him slightly breathlessly from the strength of his forced hug.

"Why do you need to work? Are you not here no petition for immortality?" he asked.

"No." she said shortly. Seeing his confused expression she elaborated

"I need the money for my family and I need to get out of this room." She told him. At last he let her go.  
"What is wrong with the bedroom?" he asked sounding annoyed and (was she kidding herself) a little concerned.

"Nothing" she told him quickly "I just hate being trapped here"

He took a step back and studied her intently.

"You surprise me Sulpicia but I will grant you your request. You may return to your work in the kitchens" She was surprised he knew where she worked but grateful he was letting her go.

"Thank you," she said.  
"Don't get any ideas about escaping. A vampire I trust will be monitoring you"

Hours later she regretted her decision. She was exhausted from the work and once she had almost collapsed. After the attack she was shown some sympathy from other servants but this was marred by the presence of the vampire escort. Many servants were jealous of the special attention. She was glad that the escort left her when they reached her bedroom. The empty bed had already been replaced with another girl who like the rest of the occupants where sleeping. She was glad to see the other girls hadn't taken her nice pillow and blanket. In this sort of community people were prone to taking the best things for themselves. As with every other night she was extremely tired and was asleep almost straight away.

She woke up in the middle of the night shivering. It took a second for it to register that she had a blanket on and should be warm. A second later a cold hand stroked her cheek. She opened her sleepy eyes and gazed up into a pair of red ones. She was too sleepy to worry about it and in the dim light she could vaguely make out Aro's features. She closed her eyes again making sure to continue her deep breathing and not to panic. She didn't want her heartbeat to give her away.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed since the last time she woke but Aro's figure was still standing by her. As she watched him through her eyelashes he bent down and to her surprises lightly kissed her cheek before walking of. She shivered, this time thinking it may have been something over than the cold. Despite her exhaustion and all she had been few in the last few days it was some time before she fell asleep again.

* * *

Well now we get to the point where I finish editing and start writing again. I'm embarrassed frankly by some of the mistakes I spotted (here instead of her). Hoping to post the next chapter some time this evening. Please review using the incredibly easy new review thing, which I know has been up for ages but I only just noticed. So yer please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Sulpicia arrived in the kitchens the scene before her was even more hectic than normal. The head chef saw her and beckoned with a finger.

"We've been told to cook a fancy meal this evening so there is loads to do, no time for any of your nonsense" the chef said as if everything that had happed was Sulpicia's.

"Why the vamps don't eat do they?" she asked.

"No but sometimes they have dignitaries come to visit. Dukes, lords, ambassadors that sort of thing. They can play human and eat a little though apparently its like eating dirt" she sounded excited. It must get boring just cooking plain food for servants. She didn't talk to anyone else all morning though for once it wasn't because she was an outcast it was purely because everyone was so busy. At lunch she sat and gossiped with her fellow kitchen staff about who the meal could possibly be for. It was nice to just relax and try and forget about Aro. His behaviour was just downright confusing. Going from telling her he was going to kill her to watching her sleep and being so gentle. Try as she might she couldn't push it to the back of her mind, the constant vampire presence didn't help. Washing dishes left her with a lot of time to think. The only thing she knew for certain was that her death was imminent. Aro had told her as much. There was nothing she could do about this but she could help her sister. If she could find a way to send her as much money as possible she might be able to survive until she turned sixteen and could get a job. Even if it meant dropping out of school she could at least eat. She made up her mind and when her shift finished at six she went to the secretary office and asked them to send any small savings to her sister and all her wages up to this day.  
"You can't leave" the vampire pointed out.  
"I know I just want any money I have to go to my sister if I die" the vampire grunted clearly confused but the secretary looked sympathetic.  
"Can I send her a letter?" she asked. The secretary nodded.

_Dearest sister_

_This is all there will be anymore. I'm sorry I let this happened. The people I work for are (she paused in her writing) not normal. You will probably have to drop out of school, I'm so sorry, but whatever you do don't get a job at Castle Volterra. I love you S_

She couldn't deal with the idea of her sister becoming a meal. It was hard enough to think about herself becoming Aro's snack.

She began to make her way back to her quarters but the vampire pulled her in a different direction.  
"Aro has requested you dine with him," he explained.  
"As long as I'm not on the menu," she joked trying to hide her fear. She realised a second later it was pointless, her heart gave her away. The vampire looked down at her a grin on his face.

"I can't make any guarantees but I think your safe"

* * *

Aro paced the seldom-used dinning room impatiently. They were late. He was eager to see how Sulpicia would react to his meal. He had seen in her mind that she had had a childhood vastly different from his own. Although the memories were vague he was sure he never had to struggle for food. He seemed to remember running through fields with his brothers, carefree. Something he had seen in Sulpicia's mind she had never been. When he thought of everything he had seen in Sulpicia he couldn't help but love her. He had sat for hours watching every moment of her life. He knew every trait, loved every aspect of her personality from her selfless need to protect her sister to her desire to fit in with her fellow workers. It was easy now to control his thirst for her blood. He couldn't imagine behaving in a way that might hurt her in anyway. He had made his decision. He wanted to make her immortal. Edward had told him it was one of many potential futures. He wouldn't foist this life and his love on her though. Through his power he had fallen in love with her very quickly but from her point of view they were practically strangers. He would wait until she loved him to offer her immortality. If she rejected him, he flinched at the very thought, he hoped he would be able to let her go. At least he had ensured her carefree future if she decided to leave.

"I can tell you" he started, he hadn't see Alice Cullen enter the room "I can tell you how this will end, there is only one possibility now"

"Are you a mind reader as well?" he asked.

"No just intuitive" she told him. After a second of silence she asked again "do you want to know?"

"No" he replied, for how could he cope if she was destined to reject him. She didn't seem surprised by his response.

"I thought you would say that but you hadn't made your mind up until I asked the question. Most futures had that answer in though. I will leave you now, she is coming"

Aro felt his interest in Alice spark again but even that paled in comparison to Sulpicia. He could hear her heartbeat, quick as it always was in his presence, get louder as she approached. He settled in his chair to await them.

* * *

"We are here" the vampire told her pushing the door open.

"Your late Dimitri" was all Aro said. She realised Dimitri must be her escort. She watched as Dimitri moved at vampiric speed to Aro's side a rested his hand on Aro's shoulder. Aro nodded at Dimitri and told him to go. It seemed like they had communicated somehow, perhaps to quick for human senses. It was only when Dimitri had left that Aro looked at her and smile

"Please sit," he said moving quickly to pull her chair out.  
"Thank you" she said. It only clicked that the meal the kitchen had been preparing was for her when she saw one of the chefs leading the procession of servants bringing out food. They all glared at her forcing her to look down at her napkin to avoid their gazes. When they had gone Aro reached over and took her hand.

"Their opinions mean nothing," he told her. She looked up surprised and smiled.

"I think they're just disappointed. Rumour has it the last surviving member of the royal family of Italy has come for a visit," he laughed at her response before saying,

"One day people will be more excited about you visiting than they would be about any royal family"

"I doubt that" she said pulling away from him and helping herself to some of the appetizers to hide her embarrassment. She felt her heart speed up and cursed internally as Aro asked

"Why does you heart always beat so fast around me? I haven't hurt you. You have no need to fear me"

"Yesterday you told me you would kill me one day," she pointed out.  
"Things have changed" he told her mysteriously.

"Does that mean I can leave?" she asked.

"How would your sister survive then?" he fired back.

"Better than she will if I die! How do you know about her anyway?"

"Dimitri told me" So she was right they had communicated but how?

"How? You barely spoke to him?"  
"Do you not think vampires have ways of talking without humans hearing?" he put to her. She considered it for a second but her continued before she could reply

"It is irrelevant. I have arranged for Volturi funds to pay your sisters living and education fees for the school she is at"

She was lost for words so kept eating her food.

"Thank you" she couldn't think of a way to express her surprise at they way he had casually stated that every problem she worried about was now solved. She didn't know what she would do with all the time and energy she put into worrying. She had moved on to the starter of soup to avoid talking about it. She looked up to see Aro looking at her with a confused expression. She saw his face change ever so slightly as he sipped the soup. She laughed at disgusted expression that he tried to hide.  
"Its ok Aro I know you can't really eat human food"

"I thought it might make you more comfortable" he reached under the table and stroked her bare knee. He heart sped up, embarrassingly. He smiled.

"You mean that I might forget that you crave my blood. If I didn't look at your eyes that is?" he laughed.

"I suppose it must be rather tricky," he agreed.

"Yes" she paused "Aro why do you thirst for my blood so much? Its worse than it is with other humans isn't it?" he paused for what seemed like an age.

"We call it La Tua Cantante. It means your blood sings for me. It is like the most exquisite wine. To you I suppose it is as if you walked into a kitchen and you favourite meal has been cooked and you just can't control yourself" she shivered "but do not worry I will never drink you blood again."

"Why not?" she asked "if it tastes that good what's stopping you?"

Again he didn't answer for so long she thought he wasn't going to and when he did he didn't seemed to be answering her.

"Some vampires have talents that only manifest when we become immortal. We're not sure why but one friend of mine thinks it is the manifestation of our strongest human trait. I would guess if you were immortal you would be able to shield or protect others in some way. My power is to read from others every thought they have every had"  
"Wow" she couldn't imagine wielding such an immense power "how do you do it?"

"All I need is a touch" she rocketed back so her knee was pulled out of his hand.

"You mean you've read my deepest thoughts?" she asked horrified. It explained how he had spoken to Dimitri. She stood up and backed away from him. At vampiric speed he moved to stand in front of here, taking her hands in his.

"No no" she sobbed, struggling in his grasp.

"Its not how you think. I only do it when necessary. I'm not even doing it now"

"But you have" she half said half sobbed "they other night" for it was clear that was what all the stroking had been about.  
"I did" he admitted "but listen to me Sulpicia. Everything I saw in you I loved. Every little thing and I will wait forever for you to feel the same. And if not go, you don't need the money anymore and I won't hold you here" he backed of to give her some space.  
"I" she try to start "I just don't know Aro" she told him before slipping out the door.

It was a mistake, he thought, telling her so soon about his power. She was so new to this world and even seasoned vampires were sometimes shocked when he told them.

"You did the right thing you know" Alice Cullen was back "telling her tonight was the only possibility that lead to a future with you two together"

"You mean she might chose to stay with me?" he asked hopefully.

"There are many possible futures Aro but it is becoming more likely all the time"

"What can I do?" he asked.

"Right now you can do nothing. She has to make a decision." He looked so dejected that she had to add " there may be something my family can do to help though"


End file.
